As experienced WordPress developers, we've helped countless site owners manage email overload on multi-user sites. By default, WordPress sends administrators an email every time a user resets or changes their password via the lost password link. This can flood your inbox quickly. In this guide, we'll show you a reliable, code-based method to disable these notifications while preserving site security.
The most effective approach is to create a site-specific plugin. This custom plugin lets you safely override core WordPress functions without touching your theme files, ensuring updates don't wipe your changes. For step-by-step instructions on creating one, see our detailed site-specific plugin guide.
Once your plugin is ready, add this code snippet:
if ( ! function_exists( 'wp_password_change_notification' ) ) {
function wp_password_change_notification() { }
}Save the file, then activate the plugin from your WordPress dashboard (Plugins > Installed Plugins).
That's it—WordPress will now skip sending those emails. This override works because it redefines the core wp_password_change_notification() function from wp-includes/pluggable.php before it's loaded, making it return without action.
Why not add this to your theme's functions.php? It won't work—WordPress loads pluggable.php first, so theme overrides fail. A site-specific plugin loads earlier, guaranteeing success.
This tweak has streamlined admin workflows for our high-traffic sites. You might also like our guides on disabling new user notifications or stopping comment alerts.
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